The best chocolate fondant

Name: The best chocolate fondant
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 10 min
Total time: 25 min
Yield: 8
Ingredients: 200 g butter, plus extra for greasing; 200 g Cooks’ Ingredients Belgian Dark Chocolate, chopped; 8 large free range eggs, 4 whole, 4 yolks, at room temperature; 100 g caster sugar; 25 g plain flour; 8 Lindt Lindor Chocolate Truffles, or similar chocolate balls; Double cream, lightly whipped, to serve; Fresh berries, to serve

Former Bake Off contestant Martha Collison says the key to this classic bake's success lies in the bake time and the greasing of the moulds – get these right, and you’ll have a gooey, molten pudding that will impress even the harshest of critics. Pressing a chocolate ball into the middle of the pudding creates an additional surprise!

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Vegetarian

Makes8
CourseDessert
Prepare15 mins
Cook10 mins
Total time25 mins

Please note, we take every care to ensure the product, allergen and recipe information displayed is correct. However, should a product be unavailable, alternatives may be displayed and/or a substitution provided. If you have an allergy or intolerance, please always check the product label before use.

200g butter, plus extra for greasing
200g Cooks’ Ingredients Belgian Dark Chocolate, chopped
8 large free range eggs, 4 whole, 4 yolks, at room temperature
100g caster sugar
25g plain flour
8 Lindt Lindor Chocolate Truffles, or similar chocolate balls
Double cream, lightly whipped, to serve
Fresh berries, to serve

Preheat the oven to 190ºC, gas mark 5. Liberally butter 8 x 210ml mini pudding or dariole moulds – aluminium ones work best to achieve a crisp, evenly baked pudding. Place on a baking tray.
Melt the dark chocolate and 200g butter in a large heatproof bowl over a pan of simmering water. Stir together until no lumps remain and the mixture is smooth, then remove from the heat and set aside to cool slightly.
Crack 4 eggs into another large bowl or the bowl of a stand mixer, then add the 4 yolks and sugar. Using an electric hand mixer or the stand mixer, whisk until thick, fluffy and pale, 2-3 minutes. Fold in the slightly melted chocolate using a spatula, then sift over the flour and mix well to combine.
Divide the mixture between the prepared moulds, then press a chocolate ball into the centre of each. The moulds should be about two-thirds full. You can chill the puddings for up to 2 days at this stage.
Bake for 8-10 minutes. When ready, there should be a thin crust on top and the centre should still have a slight wobble when pressed.
Leave the puddings to stand for 2 minutes, then turn out. I run a small palette knife around the inside of each mould to loosen it slightly. Serve with double cream and the berries.

Cook’s tip

Dive in
If the puddings don’t turn out properly or to play it safe, serve them in the mould and dive straight in with a spoon.

Check first
To check if your puddings are ready, turn one out first to test if they hold. It’s better to get the fondants out too early, then return the rest to the oven until set if not ready, rather than to overcook them all. You can’t reverse the cooking process!

Add extra flavour
Try grating the zest of an orange or mixing ½ tsp peppermint extract or rose extract into the batter for a flavoured chocolatey treat. You can also get creative with the filling – instead of the chocolate ball, 1 tsp chilled caramel sauce or peanut butter pushed into the centre of the unbaked puds is a delight.

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